Page 20 of Honey Bee Library
I glanced back at Jasper and then over to Willow, who shifted in her seat so she was facing her son.
“You don’t need food, Jasper. You need sleep.”
She must have sensed that I was watching her because she flicked her gaze over to me before she moved to face forward once more. “He’ll be okay, he’s just trying to put off bedtime. When we get inside, I’m going to start winding him down.”
“Oh, okay,” I said as I pulled into the driveway and pressed the garage button.
When the garage door was fully up, I drove in and parked my car. As soon as the engine was off, I opened the door, and Willow and Jasper did the same. They were standing in the garage when I got out and shut the door behind me. Jasper didn’t wait for me to lead the way into the house. He spun in a few circles as he made his way toward the door and opened it once he was close.
“Jasper,” Willow hissed as she hurried after him. “You can’t just barge into people’s houses.” She glanced back at me. “I’m so sorry.”
I raised my hands. “It’s okay. He’s just a kid.”
Jasper had gone inside, and I could tell Willow did not want him in there alone.
“It’s okay,” I said as I nodded toward the house. “Go. I can get the bags.”
She studied me for a moment before she hurried after Jasper.
Once I had the duffle bags in hand, I slammed the trunk closed and headed into the house. I lingered in the doorway as I hit the garage door button to close it.
“Jasper.Jasper. Put those down. They aren’t yours.”
I left the duffle bags by the door and set my keys and wallet down in the small trinket dish in the kitchen. I stood next to the counter and tipped my head in the direction of Willow’s voice.
“I know they are your favorite cars, but they aren’t ours to just take. I’m sure they’re here for a reason. Someone is probably coming here to get them, and they will be so disappointed if you take them.”
“What’s going on?” Maddie stepped into the kitchen. Her skin was bright pink, and she wore a pair of cotton pajamas. She was finger-combing her damp hair as she glanced in the direction of Willow’s voice.
“Jasper found the room you set up, and Willow’s trying to convince him that it’s not his to touch.” I couldn’t fight the smile that was emerging. Willow acted like she had me all figured out, and I couldn’t wait to see the expression on her face when she discovered I’d arranged all of this for Jasper.
There was something about Willow that both thrilled and frustrated me at the same time.
Maddie cocked her head like she was trying to listen in before she glanced back at me. “She doesn’t seem too happy about it.”
I shrugged as I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before I headed in the direction they’d gone. When I got to the open door, I paused, leaning against the doorframe and taking in the scene in front of me. Willow was standing in the middle of the room, looking exasperated, as Jasper rushed from toy to toy along the walls. He looked like a kid in a candy store while Willow looked like she was about to lose her mind.
I felt her gaze on me. She looked embarrassed as she approached me.
“I am so sorry. I’m trying to get him to leave, but he’s just too excited.” Her voice was hushed and her cheeks flushed.
“It’s okay,” I said as I cracked the lid of the bottle and took a sip.
“It’s not okay. I would hate for him to break anything.” She pushed her hand through her hair as she glanced back at Jasper.
She seemed really worried. A protective surge rushed through me. This was not the reaction I wanted her to have. This was supposed to help her feel more at home, not stress her out.
“Even if he breaks anything, it can be replaced,” I said as I straightened and glanced down at her.
She raised her gaze to meet mine. She felt so tiny standing next to me. All I wanted to do in that moment was protect her. She was strong, and she acted like nothing bothered her. But I knew that she was scared. I could see it in her eyes, and it frustrated me.
“Still, these aren’t his things.”
I shrugged. “Actually…” I paused, not sure how she was going to react.
“Actually…what?”
I relaxed my posture and leaned my shoulder on the doorframe once more. “I can only imagine how hard it was for you two to see all of your belongings go up in flames. I thought…” I cleared my throat. “I figured you could use some things for Jasper. Toys. Clothes.”
